T3 only gives TiVo 4 out of 5

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I would say "Most reviewers don't get to keep the hardware, and they have a big advantage over you or I in that they may have actually used all the options in anger. Most go to great lengths to avoid subjectivity or bias but some editors may have changed the final review.

It wouldn't suprise me if some truthful reviews are not even published so that advertisers are not offended. I also bet that other reviewers are no longer provided advance products as a truthful review has upset the manufacturer.

There are factually good reviews and bad reviews - but the reader will often not know that.

 

Just to clarify at no point was I comparing Tivo UI to Apple. please don't misqoute me

 

What an incredible naivete! You know this, how? Having been involved in a good number of consumer magazines, whether the goods went back usually was left to the PR company who arranged the loan in the first place. Sometimes there were only limited review items, other times, there were many - and reviewers were welcome to keep and use as they were seen to be 'opinion formers' and because of this, if they retained (or wanted to retain it) then it was seen as a positive acceptance.

Add to this, many magazines use external (freelance) writers and any consistency across the publication was suspect, as these (usually) guys, locked away in their garrets were working in isolation.

Indeed, I'm aware of one publication that didn't pay its freelancers, letting them keep the kit in payment. So for every one you subjectively tell me acts withour bias, I can show you another who wants the kit and will say anything to keep the kit and please the client (the PR compant, not the reader).

The safest bet is to read everything, and form your own conclusions. Not slavishly believe what a spurious reviewer says.

 

Probably because it's his job.

 

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Good points. Add to that the fact that magazines are never going to upset the biggest advertisers who are paying their wages.

 

I did a little gaming reviewing in my youth and how that worked was you got the game for free, but if you wrote a too negative review that was the last game you got from that publisher.. so you had to learn to be critical but still give at least 8/10 at the end. Didn't keep it up long.. it's hard to do that with some of the stinkers I got sent (my favourite was one that required a reboot to restart the game after you died..)

Reviewers are inevitably biased as well, and on some sites you see tremendous bias in favour of particular platforms. Some of that is fed by PR companies paid to fuel the bias by spreading rumours for/against particular platforms (and sometimes just going straight in with a bunch of sock puppets and whipping up a storm).

In a way TGS are the better of the shows because their 'tests' are often such total bollox that you'd be nuts to take them seriously.. they're a bit of fun, and what a surprise apple won again, but it doesn't mean anything. I'm more worried about reviews which claim to be serious and are more subtly biased.

 

Beacause I've been editing and publishing technology magazines for more than 20 years.

No professional organisation would do that.

It's true that for some low value items the PR companies don't ask for stuff back as it's not worth their while. We have a large lockable room full of it. But for the vast majority of high value items like TVs there is only one unit in the country, which is passed between the reviewing teams of the various publications.

 

I can assure you that we frequently upset advertisers.

And I only wish they did pay the wages - in fact the large majority of our income is from copy sales, so the truly stupid thing to do would be to P off readers with innacurate reviews. Readers DO pay our wages!

 

Was it even reviewed by any tech press?

Look at this less than positive report from 2001, just six months after launch:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1268739.stm

Seems sky took note of the "does too much" part, and produced a lobotomized PVR in sky+ ... it records and that's it.